Now open at The King’s Gallery, Buckingham Palace, The Edwardians: Age of Elegance explores the glamourous world of the Edwardian era focusing on the lives and tastes of two of Britain’s most fashionable royal couples: King Edward VII and Queen Alexandra, and King George V and Queen Mary.
Bringing together over 300 objects from the Royal Collection – almost half on public display for the first time – the exhibition features fashion, jewellery, paintings, photographs, books, sculpture, ceramics and more by many of the period’s most celebrated names – including Carl Fabergé, Frederic Leighton, Edward Burne-Jones, Laurits Tuxen, John Singer Sargent, Olive Edis, Philip de László, William Morris, Oscar Wilde and Edward Elgar.
From their family lives and personal collecting to their glittering social circles, global travels and spectacular royal events, highlights of the exhibition include examples of Alexandra and Mary’s dazzling jewellery and paintings of magnificent court events by the most fashionable painters of the day.
Displays evoke the interiors of the royal couples’ private residences at Marlborough House and Sandringham House, where decorative objects and family photographs covered every surface. Examples include a Cartier crystal pencil case set with diamonds and rubies, on show for the first time, and more than 20 items by the Russian jeweller Fabergé, including a blue enamel cigarette case featuring a diamond-encrusted snake biting its own tail, given to Edward in 1908 by his favourite mistress as a symbol of eternal love.
Edward and Alexandra, and later George and Mary, surrounded themselves with fashionable society figures – known as the ‘Marlborough House Set’ – and their lives were full of garden parties, concerts, sporting events and costume balls. Visitors will see souvenirs and mementos from these events, including a never-before-seen photograph of Edward in fancy-dress as a knight of the Order of Malta, at a ball celebrating Queen Victoria’s 1897 Diamond Jubilee, attended by 700 guests in historical costume.
Plus paintings from their private collections, photography and items from their travels across five continents. Edward, Alexandra, George and Mary travelled further than any royals before them, collecting objects, receiving gifts, and employing tour artists and photographers, as well as capturing their own memories. Featured in this exhibition are Alexandra’s handwritten notes, watercolours and snapshots from her visit to Norway in 1893.
For further information: rct.uk
Image: The Edwardians: Age of Elegance © Royal Collection Enterprises Limited 2025 | Royal Collection Trust
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